A History of Horror, Fear, and the Uncanny - DK

A History of Horror, Fear, and the Uncanny - DK

DK

£25.00
  • Pages · 320 pages
  • Publication Date · 02/04/2026
  • Genre · Ghosts & poltergeists
Collect in store Pick it up free from the shop in Oxford's Covered Market, usually quicker than the post.
Delivery Standard tracked £1.99, free on orders over £20. Express tracked £2.99.
Book Lovers' Happy Hour Three cocktails matched to your taste, three books chosen for you, an hour and a half at the bar. £60 per person. Book a place →

Take a step - if you dare - into the shadows, and discover the blood-curdling history of horror across the world in this gruesomely illustrated title. A History of Horror, Fear and the Uncanny explores the dark and eerie landscapes of horror down the centuries - from prehistoric death rituals to modern interpretations in art, literature, and film. In this petrifying book, you will find:A complete global history of the subject - from Gilgamesh, the Underworld, and horror in fairytales to Gothic horror and "creepypasta" talesMore than 350 stunning full-colour images combined with engaging and accessible textProfiles of infamous supernatural creatures - from ghosts and demons to banshees and changelings, and from Grendel to Baba Yaga and the Morrigan to the GolemProfiles of the scariest books and films of all time - from novels by Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Stephen King to movies like The Exorcist, The Shining, and Alien.in a stunning, giftable package with a specially commissioned cover artwork and gorily printed page edges. Discover how our experience and understanding of fear and terror have evolved through the ages, beginning with the ancient visions of a hellish Underworld. Encounter terrifying figures like Medusa and the Babylonian demon Pazuzu. And tread carefully through the medieval world, where a fear of the unknown stoked apocalyptic terror around the Black Death and gave rise to the danse macabre and the demonology of the Malleus Maleficarum. Delve into the folklore that gave birth to creatures of the night - from vampires and werewolves to the Japanese Kappa water demon and the cannibalistic Wendigo of Indigenous American lore. Witness the emergence of Gothic literature, with the terrifying and genre-defining works of authors like Mary Shelley, H. P. Lovecraft, and M. R. James. And learn how the 20th century saw a new wave of terror unleashed through Expressionist art, monsters in the movies, "body horror" films, and the "folk horror" revival. Whether you are a dedicated horror aficionado or simply curious, A History of Horror, Fear and the Uncanny isn't just for Halloween. It is a thrilling - chilling - journey into the heart of darkness. The Esoteric Histories seriesWith global sales of more than 300,000 copies, DK's Esoteric Histories explore the rich traditions of mystical and mysterious subjects - from witchcraft to the world of the unexplained - weaving together religion, mythology, folklore, and the paranormal with art, culture, and science. Other titles in the series include A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult; A History of Ghosts, Spirits and the Supernatural; and A History of Astrology, Divination and Prophecy.

Only at Gulp Fiction

Book Lovers' Happy Hour

An hour and a half at the bar, with three cocktails matched to your taste and three books chosen for you. Tell us what you like when you book, and we'll have them waiting when you arrive.

  • 1½ hours
  • £60 per person
  • 3 cocktails, 3 books
Book Happy Hour

Up to four of you can come — book a place each and choose the same time slot, then tell us who you're with. For larger groups, email gulpfictionbooks@gmail.com and we'll arrange it.

Three customers at the window table in Gulp Fiction, cocktails in hand beside a stack of books, with Oxford's Covered Market visible through the glass

Collect in store

Order online and pick it up from the shop. It's free, and usually quicker than the post.

Find us

Units 28–29, Covered Market, Oxford OX1 3DU. Mon–Wed 10–5, Thu–Sat 10–10, Sun 11–4.

Book a table

The bar is open late Thursday to Saturday. Reserve a table for a drink among the books.